EGM Times Jan_Feb_2023 Edition

EGM TIMES

HOPE IN

DEPRESSION PRAYER THE HOLY SPIRIT PAGE 09

CONTEMPLATIVE

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“Deny your weakness, and you will never realize God's strength in you.”

- Joni Eareckson Tada

HOPE IN DEPRESSION

CONTEMPLATIVE PRAYER

All Bible references are from New International Version, English Standard Version, New Living Translation, King James Version. EGM Times is published by Elohim Gospel Ministries, USA & India. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without written permission is prohibited. EGM Times has no subscription price and is supported through contributions worldwide. Because all EGM Times editions are preplanned, we are unable to accept unsolicited manuscripts. For more information or to subscribe, visit: elohimgospelminis�tries.com

President: Evg. Jacob Vilgi Oommen

Chief Editor: George Vilgi Oommen

Associate Editor: Gideon Pingkihan

Content Editor: Effie Ochago

Design: EGM Media

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CONFIDENT ANSWERS

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-Hope Anderson

-Jacob Varghese

-Irish P. Gambito

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25 -Kristin Colino

COUNT ME IN THE BLESSING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

-Janice Delphin-Alleyne

28

LIFE IN BETWEEN

-Daya Raja

MEET OUR WRITERS

Irish Gambito, a mom, blogger, content creator, and a contributing author of the books “Christmas with Jesus” by Heather Hart, and “Worship in the Wilderness: Let Praise lead the Way”

A Christian Devotional Collaboration. She lives in Hinton,Canada. She believes that God called her to write and share her story of brokenness. She writes about how God helped her overcome life’s struggles and received healing in the Name of Jesus Christ at betoughyetgentleinspirit.com.

Courage and faith took her to a place where God wants her to be. And she wants to encourage others in different walks of life to find hope and healing through Jesus Christ.

Hope Anderson is a wife, mother, and a therapist. She spends most of her days in constantly discovering what it means to be human. Hope values the experience of being seen and shares her writings in the hope that others might experience the same. Her passion is to see religious spaces become more trauma-informed and the complexity of our individual and collective stories honored.

Kristin is a servant leader who listens intently and encourages others to walk in their purpose and potential. With a heart of devotion for her Lord and Savior, Kristin develops and perseveres through a multitude of challenges in her life. As a wife and friend to her husband Johnny, Kristin values her marriage and always puts open communication at the forefront of their relationship. Kristin is a loyal and faithful friend and a strong advocate for justice. For those who are not able to speak for themselves, Kristin often puts her efforts into reaching out and standing up for the truth. She lives in San Jose, California, and her writing can be followed at www.divinelyinspired.us

Janice Delphin-Alleyne has spent her entire professional career in the non-profit arena. She currently serves as a Human Resources Professional. From heartbreak to victory, God used Janice’s difficult season to introduce her to her God-given earthly assignment: To share the gospel of Jesus Christ with others and encourage others towards Christ-centered and purpose-driven living. Janice is passionate about encouraging others towards a relationship with Christ and discovering their God-given purpose as they align with God’s will for their lives.

IRISH GAMBITO, CANADA HOPE ANDERSON, USA KRISTIN COLINO, USA JANICE DELPHIN-ALLEYNE, USA

EDITORIAL

Friends,

First thing first, happy and blessed new year to you and your family. By the time you are reading this edition, it will be already two months into the year (hope you will accept my late new year wish!).

I am excited to share this edition with you with all the good reads. The writers in this edition are touching relevant topics for our every day life. I was blessed to read all of them while working on this edition. I especially thank the writers for sharing some insights from their personal experiences (it’s not easy to do that!) as well.

This edition also marks completion of 10 years of the publication of EGM Times magazine. As a team, we are truly grateful to God for guiding us in the past decade. It has been a memorable journey. We THANK each one of you for being with us in this journey. All glory to God.

I will wind up with a request to you. If you have a question about your Christian Life, we have a new series, ‘Confident Answers,’ where we strive to answer it. Please feel free to send your questions to egmtimes@elohimgospelministries.com

Happy reading. God bless you.

George Vilgi Oommen, Chief Editor

DID YOU KNOW?

January 23 2023 marked 24 years of the martyrdom of Rev. Graham Staines and his two sons, Philip and Timothy. Rev. Staines and his sons were killed by persecutors in Odisha, India, on January 23, 1999. The Staines family were from Australia and was working among the lepers and tribal people in Odisha before being killed.

Hope IN DEPRESSION

-Irish P. Gambito

For the past two years, the worldwide pandemic has overwhelmed us with uncertainties and fears. People lost their jobs and relationships, some suffered domestic violence, and many lost hope. People were so desperate to put their lives together and got depressed.

At the beginning of the first lockdown, I stopped working because I needed to attend to my son at home and online schooling due to the school closure. However, I had no fear of the unknown. At this moment, God’s power in me gave me peace and calmness despite the uncertainty. I never thought I would come into a state of depression.

Dealing with Depression

During the time of my pregnancy, I was struggling with my marriage. Anger and fear of losing my husband (at the time) were dragging me down. And it got worse after I gave birth to my son. My faith was shaking and after months of affliction, I got ill.

It was a typical day in Spring 2014 to go to work. But I felt nauseous and went home to take rest. But that one day turned into a daily battle. I was diagnosed with depression, and my doctor prescribed anti-depressant. I took the pill for almost three months. The weight of depression and saving my marriage was difficult to process. Day after day, I felt like I was losing hope of building a family.

Dealing with depression while breastfeeding a baby was my most challenging situation. And I thought Christians don’t get depressed. But the struggle and pain were real. I felt hopeless, alone, and a failure. Occasionally, I blamed myself for my situation. And I didn’t like myself.

Similarly, some people in the Bible \suffered various horrendous pains that led them to depression. But God gave them hope.

Elijah was a person who dealt with depression, who cried out to God to take his life, “But he himself went a day’s journey into the wilderness and came and sat down under a broom tree, and he prayed that he might die; and said, It is enough, Now Lord, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” 1 Kings 19:4, NKJV.

Elijah was a mighty prophet who witnessed God’s incredible miracle on Mount Carmel, where he summoned the people from all over Israel together with the four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal (God of fertility) and challenged them about his God and Baal. After the prophets of Baal prayed and shouted, nothing happened. Then Elijah made an altar for God and prayed. Then the fire of the Lord fell and burned up the sacrifice after Elijah prayed. Elijah then killed all the prophets of Baal.

When this happened, Queen Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah that she would kill him (1 Kings 19:1-2). Elijah was afraid and ran for his life. When he came to Beersheba in Judah, he left his servant there and went to the wilderness. And he sat under a broom tree and prayed he would die. His faith wavered because of fear. He felt afraid, hopeless, and alone. He wanted to die. Imagine Elijah, a prophet and a person of faith, was seriously depressed. Does the story of Elijah resonate with you? Do you feel hopeless and alone?

Rest in God’s Grace

When Elijah came to a broom tree, sat down, and prayed he might die, he fell asleep. Then, an angel of the Lord touched him and gave him food (1 Kings 19:5-7). Elijah was depressed because of fear (1 Kings 19:3). He looked at himself as a failure (1 Kings 19:4) and exhausted (1 Kings 19:5). So God let him rest. But He did not allow Elijah’s depression to live long. Just like Elijah, I lived a life coping with depression.

Depression brings you to a futile state of life. Eventually, you will always feel alone and insecure. However, God loves you enough not to let you live a hopeless life. He wants us to be joyful despite our life circumstances. Although our emotions are valid, they are not permanent. God will give us the strength to overcome depression if we allow Him. During the time of my depression, I worshipped God and sought Him. God made a way for me to share my honest feelings through writing.

Writing is a way to express my deepest and most honest emotions. I feel relieved. And when I write, I pray. It does not have to be perfect writing because perfection is not an honest emotion. Perhaps you have your own different way of managing your emotions. Maybe you can talk to a trusted family and friend or even someone from your church. During this time, I asked my pastor, along with his wife, for counselling. I felt the need for help. And it is okay to require help. Sometimes we need a fresh perspective from someone who has the heart of Jesus. Depressed people have an unhealthy view of God, self, and everything.

God will make a way to use other people to help you out of depression. He loves you more than you can imagine. With God on your side, there’s nothing to fear. And by His amazing grace, you will find the strength you need to overcome the struggle by placing your trust in Him. Isaiah 41:10, “Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, yes I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.”

“With God on your side, there’s nothing to fear. And by His amazing grace, you will find the strength you need to overcome the struggle by placing your trust in Him.”

“When you kill time, remember that it has no resurrection.”

A.W. Tozer

#OPINION Another year

I have been reflecting on my life towards the end of last year (thanks to a few holidays which allowed me to do that!). Without waiting for anyone, the planet earth is rotating and revolving constantly. And we live on the planet each day living our lives. As I was thinking about all the goals I met, tasks I completed, miles I travelled, one of my friends send me a video. It was the video of a hymn “Another Year is Dawning.” It was a touching hymn that moved my heart. It made me to realize that each year is given to us to live for God’s glory, for God’s will and God’s purpose (whatever I did, is all because of God’s grace, His grace alone!).

I hope these lyrics of the hymn written by Frances Ridley Havergal will inspire you as it inspired me.

Another year is dawning! Dear Father, let it be, in working or in waiting, another year with thee; another year of leaning upon thy loving breast, another year of trusting, of quiet, happy rest.

Another year of mercies, of faithfulness and grace; another year of gladness in the shining of thy face; another year of progress, another year of praise, another year of proving thy presence all the days.

Another year of service, of witness for thy love; another year of training for holier work above. Another year is dawning! Dear Father, let it be on earth, or else in heaven, another year for thee.

Below is the YouTube link of the video I receivedhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_iTn6HFOKhI

-George Vilgi Oommen

Contemplative Prayer

I must admit when I first saw the word “contemplative” in front of prayer a couple of years ago while flipping through a book, I casually continued on to the next page despite my feeling both confused and intimidated in response. The word itself didn’t strike me as very accessible to the spiritual limp. It sounded like a word designed for those with deep faith and tons of free time. Of course, my lack of knowledge regarding what contemplative prayer actually looks like had a great deal to do with my initial judgment, but prayer has always been something of a complicated discipline for me anyways. For many years the very thing that was designed to keep me connected to God so often left me feeling anxious and hyper-focused on getting it “right.” Relative to it edifying me and others, it was usually a practice that involved a lot of words I had to work to muster up all on my own as if I was set to drawing on a blank slate with the intention of giving it to God for scrutiny and review when it was all said and done. Though there has been much over the years that has shaped my understanding of prayer, it wasn’t until months later that the intimidation began to take on a different form-one of curiosity. Little did I know contemplative prayer was actually something that would help shift my prayer life.

-Hope Anderson

“Presence doesn’t just ask us to sit wholly in the good thing but also invites us to step into the painful things as well.”

I suppose contemplative prayer became of more interest to me after my first encounter with the word because it functions in much the same way as writing prompts do. As a writer, I’m all for writing prompts. They are set before you as inspiration, a starting place, and an invitation to create space for something different and surprising to unfold. So it is with contemplative prayer. You begin by selecting a word or sentence that is set before you. Some consider the word or sentence chosen to be sacred, representing your intention to be present. Once the word or sentence has been introduced you speak it and recite it over and over again, all while settling deeply into it. Paradoxically, the thought of approaching prayer this way reinforced my sense of choice and calmed the whirlwinds of anxiety that would often swirl within me when in prayer. I could more readily focus on getting to know God, and I knew I had to give it a try.

What was my experience like, you ask? Well, one particular morning comes to mind. There was an unusual quiet that filled my home that morning. With the sun painting its greeting across the darkened, worn edges of my coffee table, I began to repeat: “O God, make speed to save me. O Lord, make haste to help me. ” After a substantial amount of time passed, God began to illuminate the process for me. What began with spoken word became a song.

That song became a familiar melody and that familiar melody became care and concern and compassion for others. Care and concern and compassion for others became the naming of Truth and the naming of Truth became centering and grounding. Feeling both centered and grounded, I noticed I felt safe in the presence of God and that felt sense of safety nourished a more genuine connection in the moment. That connection seemed to me the very essence of God’s Love. For me, it was a prayer that flowed from a more natural and more deeply seated place. The pressure was off, in a sense. The invitation wasn’t fraught with the temptation to perform or figure out what God might want me to say. It was an invitation to come as I was, listen, and move in tandem with what the Spirit was doing. It was an invitation to "Be still and know that I am God" (Psalm 46:10) and “…wait patiently for Him" (Psalm 37:7).

As I’ve come to engage in contemplative prayer more, I cannot help but think of the notion of presence in a similar light. The word presence always sounds good in theory, doesn’t it? In fact, we use the word a lot, even in Christian circles as we ask God to show us His presence.

Yet when we use the word are we really aware of what we are saying? It’s a state of being most of us would not shy away from admitting we value, yet in reality, it can be anything but comfortable and easy to inhabit. It’s a place of acknowledged vulnerability because it’s a place where we can let our guard down, and become fully exposed, while also remaining fully open. Presence doesn’t just ask us to sit wholly in the good thing but also invites us to step into the painful things as well. Presence, like contemplative prayer, bids us to move evermore closely to the place where God lives in us. A willingness to step into the moment, into the present, and create space is an essential part of contemplative prayer and one I hope to continue to nurture as time wears on. Will you join me?

"For those who enter God's rest also cease from their labors as God did from his. Let us, therefore, make every effort to enter that rest." (Hebrews 4:10-11)

CONFIDENT ANSWERS

Q - Why does it matter for Christians to go to church? Can’t you just be a Christian at home?

- Gideon

In more ways than one, this question is one of the easiest to answer in our column here. The prime reason being the previous edition of EGM Times covering in considerable depth, girded by personal testimony and Scriptural backing, the topic of the ‘Church.’ And for that reason I invite Gideon and the readers to read the previous edition with utmost fervour.

Allow me to answer Gideon’s questions, which are by no means an isolated instance in the history of questions raised by believers, from the last to the first. You can be a Christian at home, just as you can be a Christian in a swimming pool. The identity of being a Christian is dependent on and brought to effect by our personal relationship with God - our confession and submission to the saving Lordship of the risen Christ. To attend church is to partake in social interaction with believers in close proximity (or digital proximity, lest I leave out post-Covid church attendance). The lack or presence of such interaction is not the defining parameter of our salvation; we are saved by grace through the faith we place in God and not the gathering of believers. Albeit the abstinence from regular fellowship with fellow Christians doesn’t render one unsaved or an apostate, it is symptomatic of a less than ideal situation. But what is the ideal situation and why is it ideal?

A survey of the starting themes of the articles in the previous edition betrays a coincidental consensus between the first two full-length articles: something is wrong with the church, so much so that it warrants us to question the necessity of participation. We have to take efforts to disentangle our negative individual experiences with specific church gatherings before we evaluate the need for church attendance based on Scripture. While such hurtful experiences, to which we are no strangers, can, in fact, awaken us to reforms needed in the local or universal church, they cannot justify us, making them the basis for our abstinence. Similarly, we also need to identify whether our probing of alternative ways of Christian living, devoid of church attendance, is driven by a form of social rebellion, one wherein we want to live as we please without having to concern ourselves with the thoughts, remarks, and correction from fellow believers. If so, then such explorations are driven by deep-seated notions of Christian living contrary to the mindset we must pursue, as Paul espoused in Romans 8:9, 13.

We inherently acknowledge that church attendance is something a Christian is expected to do. Even if one rejects acknowledging this, he/she might concede that an atheist regularly attending church and partaking in church responsibilities is bizarre. That is because we don’t expect non-Christians to do so. What gave way to the formation of this expectation? Obviously, it is the time-honoured practice of the Christian community for millenia. But what could’ve prompted them to initiate such a practice and then retain it? Does Scripture give the grounding? If so, then Scripture’s mandate certainly serves as the basis for discerning whether church attendance matters to Christians. Now let’s dive into the first question.

Hebrews 10:25 is the clearest call to partake in the gathering of believers. Verses 24 and 25 present three actions for the believers to complete: spur (vs 24), meet (vs 25) and encourage (vs 25).

While we prima facie concede the importance of the first and the last, it becomes lucid that the act of meeting is connected to the first and last call to action. Scripture is stressing the role meeting together has in being the catalyst for fellow believers to heal, uplift and build each other up. This is precisely why Acts references the early church meeting together in common places (Temple) and private settings (homes). So we see that there is considerable persuasion from the Scriptures by means of mentioning the practice of the early church and calling for gathering. The call to action in Galatians 5:13 and Colossians 3:16 is easily served through the gathering of the believers. The church, thereby, fulfils her role as the living body of Christ and not the mere amalgamation of like-minded people in a building.

In addition to these reasons, there is a significant amount of research done probing the quantifiable impact regular church attendance has on its attendees. Research shows that regular church attendance leads to reduced mortality (1), reduced suicide rates among women(2) and positive effects on youth psychology(3) to name a few research outcomes. There is even research that shows the superior benefit of partaking in religious services in person than over impersonal medium(4).

Let me close off with one personal experience of why church attendance matters to me. One Sunday, I walked in with a heavy heart. Stressed, worried, questioning and tired of how things were not in control. I found it even more difficult to sing along with the choir. But then, a church member seated to my left started singing out loud with all her heart. She isn’t a trained singer. She doesn’t have the best vocal prowess. But she was singing with a full heart, a heart of gratitude. That was my watershed moment for the agony I was in. Her soulful and sincere singing moved powerfully to help me break free and praise God. I proceeded from church like Christian proceeded in The Pilgrim’s Progress - the burden unshackled at the Cross, rolling down the hill, forever to be isolated from the shoulders that once bore it.

By, Jacob Varghese, Founder-Director , SAFT Apologetics

SAFT Apologetics is a web-based Christian initiative that aims to equip the believer defend their faith so that they may effectively evangelise. We incessantly work towards fulfilling our God-given Vision to break the language and accessibility barrier and make apologetics resources within easy reach for all communities in India and beyond. This strive towards apologetics-driven evangelism that began through the bi-weekly SAFT Podcast has expanded into a dedicated conference wing (The Areopagus Project) and extended in-depth ministry partnerships within and beyond India. From dialoguing with the world's leading scholars to producing original content, we are creating an online library for the sceptic, believer, expert, and layman with an invitation to all to seek answers so that they find the truth.'

1 Bruce MA, Martins D, Duru K, Beech BM, Sims M, Harawa N, et al. (2017) Church attendance, allostatic load and mortality in middle aged adults. PLoS ONE 12(5): e0177618. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0177618

2 VanderWeele TJ, Li S, Tsai AC, Kawachi I. Association Between Religious Service Attendance and Lower Suicide Rates Among US Women. JAMA Psychiatry. 2016;73(8):845–851. doi:10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2016.1243

3 Mohanty, M. S. (2021). Effect of church attendance during youth on future psychological capital endowments: the US evidence. Education Economics, 30(2), 129–154. https://doi.org/10.1080/09645292.2021.1951172

4 Koenig, H. G., George, L. K., Hays, J. C., Larson, D. B., Cohen, H. J., & Blazer, D. G. (1998). The relationship between religious activities and blood pressure in older adults. International journal of psychiatry in medicine, 28(2), 189–213. https://doi.org/10.2190/75JM-J234-5JKN-4DQD

Count Me In

-Kristin Colino

When I started writing my memoir, I was excited to share my testimony of how my personal relationship with Jesus Christ was at the center of it. I wanted nothing more than to glorify Him and to share the multitude of ways His mercy and grace have saved me from disaster and despair. Just like so many of us today who start out with a mission or ministry to bring people to the Lord, somewhere along the line, the world always seems to get in the way.

“What I prayed for was to be healed, instead, I learnt about God’s sufficient grace as I navigated disruption, disappointment and detours.”

Recently, I began questioning my motivation for promoting my upcoming book, blog, ministry, and agenda. Was it too self-serving? Was I still honoring Jesus Christ with my work? I am now discovering a whispering voice asking me to revisit why I started writing in the first place. It has slowed me down, given me pause for reflection, and reminded me to go back to tending the sheep.

When we meet David in Scripture, he is almost overlooked because he is the good and obedient shepherd out in the field watching over the flock (1 Samuel 16:10-13 MSG). Although he is finally anointed by the prophet that day, his future as King David is far off. He has yet to conquer Goliath, wrestle with King Saul, and sit on the throne to lead Israel.

I am beginning to see that an initial anointing that leads me to God’s desire and plan for my life has a timeline I did not anticipate. I drafted a vision statement for my book in September 2003. I developed a clear picture of what I wanted to accomplish and share my personal experience with serious mental illness. At that time, I did not know God had much greater plans for me. Most importantly, I needed to show how his compassion and faithfulness would take me on a 20-year journey to find His direction, meaning, and purpose in my ongoing story.

What I prayed for was to be healed. Instead, I learned about God’s sufficient grace as I navigated disruption, disappointment, and detours (2 Corinthians 12:9 ESV). In the quietness of the wilderness, I found Him guiding me and leading me to others who needed to hear my struggle. However, along the way it started to be more about me and less about God. I began to think I understood what God had planned for me and became confident in my calling.

Like the Israelites who started worshipping other gods, I found myself looking for recognition.

In our world of mass communication, the tendency and worldly expectation are to promote oneself via social media to bring others to Christ. Like modern influencers, we post our pictures, verses, and blogs about how He is the God of redemption and forgiveness. Then, we assess our progress by the number of followers and likes we receive from friends and the public. It is a slippery slope when the camera is pointed at us and not reflecting the goodness of God. Our society has made success and influence measurable and comparable by the number of people reached. The depth of the information continues to lose value on a global scale.

By the time David rises to King of Israel, his pride starts leading his decisions. He covets Bathsheba and has her husband Uriah killed (2 Samuel 11 NIV). Then, he angers the Lord by deciding to take a census of the fighting men of Israel. This incident leads to a potential three-day plague on the people God relents from out of His merciful heart for Israel (2 Samuel 24:10-17 NIV, 1 Chronicles 21:1-17 NET).

I find many parallels between David’s life and what we experience on the Internet today. We want numbers and names for ourselves instead of God’s Kingdom on earth. We covet what others appear to have in their online profiles. We forget how close we were to God when we were shepherding our flock and following God’s next steps in the wilderness. I am learning to slow down what I believe God wants and listen for God’s planned next step as I wait in joyful hope for my calling to come to fruition.

David’s son, the wise King Solomon, found favor with God for rebuilding the temple as he followed the word of the Lord (2 Chronicles 7:11-22 NET). The construction took seven years, but he also built a palace for himself which took 13 years.

As I search my heart today, I am growing in my ability to leave the multiplication of my ministry to Jesus. I am focusing on glorifying God to the best of my abilities in my current sphere of influence. Although it is not at the speed I want, I trust God’s timing. I start each day at the computer asking the Lord these questions:

“What is my motivation for writing and sharing my story?

“What is the purpose of this post on social media?”

“Who are my sheep, and how do I lead them?”

May we be disciples who live to glorify God with humility. Because our Father who hears and sees what we do in secret will give us the desires of our heart

(Matthew 6:5-6 NIV, Psalm 37:4 NIV). God is looking for servant-hearted leaders. Will you join me in honoring our Savior’s sacrifice?

“May we be disciples who glorify God with humility.”

The Blessing of the Holy Spirit

-Janice Delphin-Alleyne

It has been over the last several months, I have truly discovered the magnitude of the gift that we, as Believers, have been given in and through the Holy Spirit. From my humble point of view, the Holy Spirit may be the least understood and perceived as the least influential aspect of the Godhead. Yet this could not be further from the truth. In recent months, the topic of the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Godhead, has repeatedly shown up in my life, including through a series taught at my church and a seven-week women’s Bible class connected to discerning the voice of God. Because of all of this my attention has piqued as I leaned in, eager to learn more. In doing so, I have been on a journey of discovery that has unveiled so much in connection with the Holy Spirit. With each new level of insight and revelation, I have realized how incredibly blessed we are to have the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is the active agent of God’s presence here on earth. When Jesus was preparing to return to be with the Almighty Father, He prepared the disciples for his departure, sharing that in His absence, the Holy Spirit would be with them. Jesus made this promise to the disciples, as we see through the following scripture:

“But the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor –Counselor, Strengthener, Standby), the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name [in My place, to represent Me and act on My behalf], He will teach you all things. And He will help you remember everything that I have told you.”

~ John 14:26 Amplified Bible

“With each new level of insight and revelation, I have come to realize how incredibly blessed we are to have the Holy Spirit.”

Jesus shared with the disciples the importance of Him going away. Notice this scripture verse from the book of John:

“But in fact, it is best for you that I go away, because if I don’t, the Advocate won’t come. If I do go away, then I will send him to you.”

~ John 16:7 NLT

The beautiful element in what Jesus was sharing with his disciples is that we as Believers too, are beneficiaries of the gift of the Holy Spirit. When each of us chose to receive the gift of salvation, confessing Jesus Christ as our risen Lord, the Holy Spirit took residence within us, indwelling within us as a function of our newfound faith and belief in Jesus Christ. Paul the Apostle speaks to this through the following scripture:

“You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ.”

~ Romans 8:9 NIV

Therefore, we too, have access to the same Helper, Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor, Counselor, Strengthener and Standby. The Spirit of Truth lives within us to teach us and call forth to our remembrance that which needs to be brought to the forefront of our awareness. When we yield to the whispers of the Holy Spirit, we welcome the pivotal role that the Holy Spirit longs to play in our lives in order to positively influence so many aspects of our Christian walk of faith, including but not limited to: revealing Jesus’ nature to us, helping us to distinguish right from wrong, helping us to discern God’s voice, guiding us as we navigate life and leading us as we carry out our God-given purpose, thus playing a part in our anointing.

Even while convicting of our sin, the Holy Spirit has our best interest at heart. The conviction of the Holy Spirit prompts us towards confession, restoring us to a right relationship with God, draws us closer to God, points toward a solution and is loving, as a gentle nudge. This is in stark contrast to the condemnation of the enemy, whose mission is to accuse us, draw us towards feelings of guilt, shame and other disempowering feelings, separate us from God, attempt to keep us in a state of prolonged trouble, hardship and adversity and derail our efforts to reach our destiny.

As I meditate on all of the above, I can not help but stand in gratitude and awe that I could be the beneficiary of all that the Holy Spirit provides simply through my wholehearted confession, belief and faith in Jesus Christ as my risen Lord and Savior. There are not enough words to capture the depth of my feelings, knowing that the Holy Spirit is with me to guide me in being all that I am meant to be in Christ and towards living my best life in Christ.

In those moments when life stretches us beyond our limit, whatever the reason, may we be reminded of the gift of the Holy Spirit. May we remember that we are never alone. May we draw comfort from the fact that we are not left to have to navigate life on our own, attempting to singlehandedly figure everything out. The Holy Spirit is with us always. The Holy Spirit is one whisper away. How blessed we are.

-Daya Raja

LIFE IN BETWEEN Being Wheat among the Weeds

A friend recently told me, “sometimes, when I look at some people who come to Church, I am not sure if they’re following Jesus.” Truth be told, I think my friend is not the only one who has had this concern. When we see disturbing behavioral patterns in church, it makes us wonder what on earth is actually going on! And if we are not careful, these negative experiences can also make us cynical and indifferent to our fellow brothers. Moreover, when we see individuals with such character traits flourish, it can make us bitter toward God if we are not aware of our own sinful nature and what God prioritizes.

In Matthew Chapter 13, Jesus tells us the parable of weeds. “The kingdom of heaven is like a man who sowed good seed in his field. But while everyone was sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds among the wheat, and went away.” Here is a field with wheat and weeds- Both experience the same sunlight, manure, soil, water and everything else. Both sprout and grow almost equally.

The genuine question is, why are the weeds allowed to grow in the same field? Isn’t the manure, soil and other favorable conditions wasted on the weeds? Unfortunately, yes! But in the parable, neither the owner nor the servants pull out the weeds. They are allowing them to grow together for the time being.

The servants asked him, ‘Do you want us to go and pull them up?’ ‘No,’ he answered, ‘because while you pull the weeds, you may uproot the wheat with them.’ It might sound ironic, but the weeds that disturb us are allowed to grow for the sake of good wheat! As the roots are interlinked below the soil, pulling out weeds prematurely might damage the growth of wheat.

In our limited perspective, we often see what is above the soil or what is on the outside. We are unaware of the million different ways in which people are dependent on each other and how we support one another indirectly. But God, in his wisdom, knows all things, and him choosing to do something or refraining from doing something is ultimately an expression of his goodness- not a lack of justice.

But truth be told, it is hard to be good and do good when people around us are getting to where they want to without any moral compass, especially those who call themselves Christians. In such situations, what might we do? I would say, scratch the surface and ask ourselves what we really believe about God! If we see that our belief of who God is contradicts his word, repent and ask for help from God himself to reorient our hearts to him. Also, pray for some good ‘wheat-friendships’–nothing can be a substitute for good community and fellowship. Allow godly people to speak into our hearts and minds. Moreover, remind ourselves that faith is required not just in our salvation experience, but in our everyday walk with God and seek our validation of where we are from God’s word.

Daya Raja, Bangalore

Daya thinks it’s absolutely cool to be known by Jesus. She deeply appreciates nature, art and silence. Her dream is to fall in love with Jesus and humanity every day. Daya can be reached at dayaraja95@gmail.com

FINAL WORD

Dear friend,

Thank you for making it to the end of this edition. We hope and pray that you will be inspired and challenged by this editon.

If you are reading this and have not experienced the love and power of God, we encourage you to embrace His love – offered as salvation through Jesus Christ. In His unending affection for us, God has a lot in store for your life and longs to have you as part of His family. We also encourage you to rededicate your life to God if you were born again but drifted away from the call. Make the following prayer and accept Jesus as your savior:

“Lord Jesus, I come before you today. I acknowledge that I am a sinner, and my sins have separated me from you. Today, I believe that you are the son of God and that you had me in mind when you got crucified and died. I believe that you are resurrected and seated at the right hand of the Father. I accept you today as my Lord and savior. Thank you for paying the price for my eternal redemption. I am now the righteousness of God in Christ. I now ask you to fill me with your spirit. Amen.”

Congratulations on surrendering or rededicating your life to God. You are now a new creation in Christ. We encourage you to join a family of believers (church) in your area, and we pray that you get established in your faith through studying the word by the grace of God.

We at EGM Times team love you and would like to hear from you. Send your feedback, comments, and constructive criticism to egmtimes@elohimgospelministries.com. See you in the next edition.

God bless you!!!

Team EGM Times

memory lane

"The Nov_Dec_2016 edition of EGM Times featured Rev. Reinhard Bonnke. Above

is the photograph of the edition signed by Rev. Bonnke"

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